Multiple trailing arm suspension

Abstract

A suspension that has particular application for a front axle of a heavy vehicle includes suspension arms that are better able to withstand increased brake torques that are expected to soon be mandated in heavy vehicles. In one embodiment, the suspension includes a plurality of arms pivotally connected to a vehicle frame, and rigidly secured to an axle. By utilizing the plurality of arms, simple spring elements are better able to withstand the increased brake torques.

1. A vehicle axle comprising:
 an axle extending between opposed lateral sides; and 
 a plurality of arms at each lateral side of said axle, and said plurality of arms for being rigidly secured to one of said axle and a vehicle frame at one end, and pivotally secured to the other of said axle and the vehicle frame at an opposed end, and wherein said plurality of arms includes at least a first resilient suspension arm and a second resilient suspension arm at each lateral side that are vertically spaced apart from each other by a gap, and wherein an axle end of said plurality of arms is rigidly attached to the axle, and pivot mounts are provided at an opposed end of said plurality of arms to be pivotally mounted to the vehicle frame, and wherein at each lateral side. of said axle, said first resilient suspension arm is mounted vertically above said axle, and said second resilient suspension arm is mounted vertically below said axle. 
 
   
   
     2. The vehicle axle as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein bolts secure mount plates on each vertical side of said axle. 
   
   
     3. The vehicle axle as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein u-bolts secure said axle ends to said axle. 
   
   
     4. The vehicle axle as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein a pair of said u-bolts are disposed at each lateral side of said axle, and spaced with one on each longitudinal side of said axle to secure said axle ends of said plurality of arms to said axle. 
   
   
     5. The vehicle axle as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein mount structure for mounting said axle ends of said plurality of arms to said axle includes a mount plate, and said mount plate having a mount location for receiving a shock absorber. 
   
   
     6. The vehicle axle as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein mount structure for mounting said axle ends of said plurality of arms to said axle includes a mount plate, and said mount plate having a mount location for receiving an air spring. 
   
   
     7. The vehicle axle as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said first and said second resilient suspension arms each comprise trailing arm spring members. 
   
   
     8. A vehicle axle comprising:
 an axle extending between opposed lateral sides; and 
 a plurality of arms at each lateral side of said axle, and said plurality of arms for being rigidly secured to one of said axle and a vehicle frame at one end, and pivotally secured to the other of said axle and the vehicle frame at an opposed end, and wherein an axle end of said plurality of arms is rigidly attached to the axle, and pivot mounts are provided at an opposed end of said plurality of arms to be pivotally. mounted to the vehicle frame, and wherein mount structure for mounting said axle ends of said plurality of arms to said axle includes a mount plate, and said mount plate having mount structure for mounting a lateral support rod. 
 
   
   
     9. A vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle frame; 
 an axle member extending between opposed lateral sides; and 
 a plurality of arms at each lateral side of said axle member, and said plurality of arms for being rigidly secured to one of said axle member and said vehicle frame at one end, and pivotally secured to the other of said axle member and said vehicle frame at an opposed end, and wherein said plurality of arms includes at least a first resilient suspension arm and a second resilient suspension arm at each lateral side that are vertically spaced apart from each other by a gap, and wherein an axle end of said plurality of arms is rigidly attached to said axle member, and pivot mounts are provided at an opposed end of said plurality of arms to pivotally mount said arms to said vehicle frame, and wherein at each lateral side of said axle member, said axle end of said first resilient suspension arm is mounted vertically above said axle member, and said axle end of said second resilient suspension arm is mounted vertically below said axle member. 
 
   
   
     10. The vehicle as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein u-bolts secure said axle ends to said axle member. 
   
   
     11. The vehicle as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein a pair of said u-bolts are disposed at each lateral side of said axle member, and are spaced with one on each longitudinal side of said axle member to secure said axle ends of said plurality of arms to said axle member. 
   
   
     12. The vehicle as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein said first and said second resilient suspension arms each comprise trailing arm spring members. 
   
   
     13. A vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle frame; 
 an axle member extending between opposed lateral sides; and plurality of arms at each lateral side of said axle member, and said plurality of arms for being rigidly secured to one of said axle member and said vehicle frame at one end, and pivotally secured to the other of said axle member and said vehicle frame at an opposed end, and wherein an axle end of said plurality of arms is rigidly attached to said axle member, and pivot mounts are provided at an opposed end of said plurality of arms to pivotally mount said plurality of arms to said vehicle frame, and wherein at each lateral side of said axle member, said axle end of one of said plurality of arms is mounted vertically above said axle member, and said axle end of another of said plurality of arms is mounted vertically below said axle member with bolts securing mount plates on each vertical side of said axle member. 
 
   
   
     14. A vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle frame; 
 an axle member extending between opposed lateral sides; and 
 a plurality of arms at each lateral side of said axle member, and said plurality of arms for being rigidly secured to one of said axle member and said vehicle frame at one end, and pivotally secured to the other of said axle member and said vehicle frame at an opposed end, and wherein said plurality of arms includes at least a first suspension arm and a second suspension arm at each lateral side that are vertically spaced apart from each other by a gap, and wherein an axle end of said plurality of arms is rigidly attached to said axle member, and pivot mounts are provided at an opposed end of said plurality of arms to pivotally mount said arms to said vehicle frame wherein mount structure for mounting said axle ends of said plurality of arms to said axle member includes a mount plate, and said mount plate having mount structure for mounting a lateral support rod. 
 
   
   
     15. A vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle frame; 
 an axle member extending between opposed lateral sides; and 
 a plurality of arms at each lateral side of said axle member, and said plurality of arms for being rigidly secured to one of said axle member and said vehicle frame at one end, and pivotally secured to the other of said axle member and said vehicle frame at an opposed end, and wherein said plurality of arms includes at least a first suspension arm and a second suspension arm at each lateral side that are vertically spaced apart from each other by a gap, and wherein an axle end of said plurality of arms is rigidly attached to said axle member, and separate pivot mounts are provided for each arm at an opposed end of said plurality of arms to independently pivotally mount each of said arms to said vehicle frame wherein mount structure for mounting said axle ends of said plurality of arms to said axle member includes a mount plate, and said mount plate having a mount location for receiving a shock absorber. 
 
   
   
     16. A vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle frame; 
 an axle member extending between opposed lateral sides; and 
 a plurality of arms at each lateral side of said axle member, and said plurality of arms for being rigidly secured to one of said axle member and said vehicle frame at one end, and pivotally secured to the other of said axle member and said vehicle frame at an opposed end, and wherein said plurality of arms includes at least a first suspension arm and a second suspension arm at each lateral side that are vertically spaced apart from each other by a gap, and wherein an axle end of said plurality of arms is rigidly attached to said axle member, and separate pivot mounts are provided for each arm at an opposed end of said plurality of arms to independently pivotally mount each of said arms to said vehicle frame wherein mount structure for mounting said axle ends of said plurality of arms to said axle member includes a mount plate, and said mount plate having a mount location for receiving an air spring. 
 
   
   
     17. A vehicle axle comprising:
 an axle body; 
 a plurality of suspension arms to be rigidly secured to one of said axle body and a vehicle frame at a rigid mount end, and pivotally secured to the other of said axle body and the vehicle frame at a pivot mount end, and wherein said plurality of suspension arms includes at least a first resilient suspension arm and a second resilient suspension arm that are vertically spaced apart from each other by a gap, said first and said second resilient suspension arms being pivotally mounted to the vehicle frame at said pivot mount end and rigidly mounted to said axle body at said rigid mount end, and wherein each of said first and said second resilient suspension arms includes a separate pivot mount at said pivot mount end; and 
 wherein said separate pivot mounts comprise a first pivot mount defining a first pivot axis for said first resilient suspension arm and a second pivot mount defining a second pivot axis for said second resilient suspension arm that is different than said first pivot axis. 
 
   
   
     18. The vehicle axle as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein said first and said second pivot mounts are vertically spaced apart from each other. 
   
   
     19. The vehicle axle as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein said first resilient suspension arm is mounted vertically above said axle body, and said second resilient suspension arm is mounted vertically below said axle body.